the Decalogue with this reason to perswade it That by composing Sermons on these I should be at once provided with whatever should be useful in a Congregation in the Afternoons and be likewise thereby enabled for this great work of Catechizing profitably by but extracting the Quintessence of such Composures by way of Questions and Answers as I went along and also lastly have a constant storehouse to repair to serviceable upon all Occasions and upon all sorts of Subjects I heartily thank God that I had this Counsel given me and that I followed it Catechizing one way or other either by a continued plain and homely discourse or by teaching Questions and Answers and then using these short Descants upon them hath been my constant course in that place whither Divine Providence cast me In taking which having found it all along a great drudgery to Transcribe I was forc'd when I had gone thorough the Catechism to be at the charge of an Impression of so many Copies as might serve my Parish which proving very faulty and defective to my great dissatisfaction I thought it not amiss to make a new Edition thereof and to make it more profitable to all that would make any Vse thereof I have added the Catechist's Enlargement upon each Question and Answer throughout the whole For the Questions and Answers upon the Apostles Creed I acknowledge some considerable part of them and the most material upon which the rest are grounded to be those Composures of the aforesaid excellent Person and them he gave to the Youth in his Parish to learn and constantly examined them therein to their great profit and Edification And now I beg it may not be thought either presumption or vain glory in me to add thereto as I saw cause to make it as easie as I could to the weakest Capacities I have well weighed every word in the Creed and every clause and almost every word in the whole Church-Catechism from the beginning to the end proving every Observation therein by very plain Scriptures which Course and Method as it sets the most Notable Texts before the younger peoples Eyes and may to their great profit serve to imprint them in their Memories so doth it mightily conduce to settle and establish them in a firm belief of sound Doctrine And if Parents and Masters of Families would be perswaded thus to exercise their Youth I am morally certain it would make them good Christians Good Protestants or which is I think the same thing Good and firm Members of the Church of England For as here They may be instructed in the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Religion in Opposition to the Jews and Pagans so are all just Occasions taken to arm them against Fanaticism and Separation And if such sound Principles of Faith and Obedience be timely instilled into tender Minds If Men would thus teach and bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord it will be very hard to think how they can fail of a competent understanding of their Religion and whatever is necessary to be known or believed to their Salvation or turn Apostates from it without an extreme Oscitancy and carelessness in remembring and considering what they have been taught or an incurable wanton itch after Novelties which latter if indulged it may be expected they will through Gods just judgment fall into damnable Errors and all the innumerable snares of the Devil which he shall think fit to lay for them and being once bewildred in them it is rare and in the Nature of the thing very difficult for any to recover themselves being taken Captive by him at his Will Yours in the Lord J. B. Catechetical Exercises PREFACE TO CATECHISM THE great end of Catechising being to instruct little children and the younger people all that are ignorant and capable of learning the Fundamental principles of their Râ—ligion It is therefore very proper to ask the Catechized what Religion they are of in the first place and therefore it is no trivial or frivolous Question with which our Catechisme begins What is your name for how this leads to the other may appear by these following Inquiries Q. What did you receive the same time when you received your name A. My Religion Q. What Religion are you of A. The Christian and therefore the name I then received is called my Christian name Q. When received you both these A. When I was Baptized The Catechist's Enlargement upon the Questions and Answers Every person is Considerable two ways As a man and as a Christian As a Man He hath the Name of his Family called his Sirname As a Christian He hath another name given him to wit when he was baptized and by being baptized entred into the Profession of the Christian Religion which is therefore called his Christian name Q. Who gave you this name A. My Godfathers and Godmothers c. Q. By whose means or help did you receive them A. By means of my Godfathers and Godmothers Q. Why are they called Godfathers and Godmothers A. Because they were instrumental in begetting me again unto God and bringing me into Covenant with God and still stand engaged as Spiritual parents for my Godly Education Q. Why doth the Church require the Vse of Godfathers and Godmothers in Baptism A. Because the Jews had such in Circumcising their Children so hath Christs Church in all ages secured the Godly Education of her Members Catechist Buxtorf Syned jud l. 1. c. â— gives it as a certainty That the Jews had Godfathers and Godmothers at Circumcision and some hint of this Custom we have Isaiah 8.24 Where we read of the Prophets calling for faithful Witnesses when he called the Prophetesses Son Maher Shalal Hashbaz and in Luk. 1.59 we read that Elizabeths Neighbours and Cousins came together the Eight day to Circumcise her child and would have called him after the name of his Father Zecharias So that by this account the Use of Godfathers and Godmothers seems to be derived like the many other Usages in Christianity from the Jewish Church But whether so or no it is manifest it was always practiced in the Christian Church And that for those great ends of propagating Religion and preserving them from falling from it who was already initiated into it For if parents natural parents proved ignorant and could not or wicked and would not teach and Educate their Children aright or if they chanced to die or to turn Apostates Hereby the Church took care for the godly Education of their Children And this saith Mr Perkins was a laudable Custom above 1400 years True will some say this was no more than what was Necessary in those Times of Persecution but not so now in these times of the Churches Peace Yes I answer it is yet as necessary as then Because We know not how soon Persecutions may come and however the present Age we live in abounds with many damnable Errours and Heresies and the Prophaness and
A. Carefully to practice Holiness ourselves and by all means to take heed of Schisms Divisions and Separations from Gods Church for thereby we shall lose all visible Hopes of Salvation Catechist I therefore a prisoner of the Lord saith the Apostle Eph. 4.1 beseech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness endeavoring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace that is Unity in Spiritual things For as he goes on argumentatively There is one Body and one Spirit one Faith one Lord one Baptism One God and Father of all All which Ones the Apostle argueth should oblige us to be One to keep fast the Unity and by no means to separate from the one Body the Church And indeed to divide from the one Church and fall into Schisms is a sort of renouncing this Article of our Creed I Believe the one Catholick Church We cannot verily heartily believe this unless we follow the Apostles Rule Rom. 16.17 I beseech you Brethren Mark them which cause Divisions among you and avoid them And need we had to do so for there is great Truth in the old saying Out of the Church no Salvation for it is Gods way to add to the Church not to divide from it those that shall be saved Act. 2.47 Now after the Church let us consider the priviledges and promises wherewith this Church is enriched Q. What are the Churches grand priviledges A. Two in This life and two in the life To come Q. Which be those two in This Life A. The Communion of Saints The Forgiveness of sins Q. Which be those two in the Life To come A. The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Catechist And surely it hugely concerns you to understand each of these things well and distinctly To which purpose for the Communion of Saints in the first place I ask you Q. What do you mean by Saints A. The members of Christs Church who being in part holy here shall be perfect Saints hereafter in heavenly glory Catechist Saints is as much as Holy Ones And all the members of the Church called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 For they are called unto Holiness 1 Thes 4.7 It is their duty and profession to follow Holiness Heb. 12.14 and to go on to perfect Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 For being redeemed by Christ and delivered from the hands of their enemies it is that they may serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of their lives Luk. 1.75 Q. With whom have those Saints Communion A. With the Blessed Trinity as Sons of God by Faith and prayer and with one another in all Ordinances of piety and all Offices of Charity as Brethren Catechist That which we have heard and seen saith S. John 1 Ep. 1.3 We declare unto you that ye may have fellowship with us and truly Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ With these the Saints have fellowship and Communion by all Acts of Faith and Love and all Holy affections and in Gods Holy Ordinances as in divers instances so particularly in that God and Christ Communicates to them the riches of his Blessings Mercies and Consolations through the merits of Christ and they acquaint him with all their wants and troubles and necessities trusting in him And as for that fellowship they have with one another it consists in divers particulars as to name some They Sympathize with and have a fellow feeling of one anothers miseries sufferings and afflictions as fellow members one of another 1 Cor. 12.26 Whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it Rom. 12.15 They rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep They pray continually and praise God for each others welfare saying Our Father c. And what Gifts and Blessings any one enjoyeth He readily and willingly imployes and Communicates them for supply relief and helping others that want them whether Wisdom Wealth or Power Q. What is our duty as Believers of this Communion of Saints A. To hold fast this Communion that we may receive and impart the Benefits of Gods Mercies and each others Gifts and to take heed of all causeless separations from Gods Church or one another in matters of Faith Worship and Charity Catechist I beseech you good Children learn these lessons and lay them up in your hearts that you may walk steadily and not waver in your Holy Religion to your lives end If you truly believe the Communion of Saints you must follow the Apostles Exhortation closely 1 Cor. 1.10 I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ That ye all speak the same things and that there be no Divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord and of one mind Let nothing be done through strife c. Take heed of all Breaches of this Communion and of all that would withdraw you from it Rom. 16.17 Mark them that are for making of Schisms and Breaches in Christs Body the Church that cause divisions amongst us and follow them not but avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ whatever they pretend but their own bellies and with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple To the next Article then Q. What is it to believe the Forgiveness of sins A. That Gods justice is satisfied through the Merits of Christs blood and through them there is mercy and pardon may be obtained for all our sins if we do but heartily repent and forsake them Catechist Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared How comes this to pass through Christ Act. 13.38 Through this man is preached to you forgiveness of sins Upon what account because Matth. 20.28 He gave his life a ransome for us 1 Cor. 15.4 He died for our sins according to the Scriptures He was made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that is a Sacrifice to suffer death for our sins in our stead So hath he purchased a pardon for all sinners that will but accept of it upon the condition upon which it is offered them which I shall choose to express in the words of the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the Vnrighteous man his imaginations and return unto the Lord for he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Q. Who then is it that forgives sins A. God only Catechist A truth directly contrary to the Popish Priests presumption in taking this
Catechetical Exercises OR QUESTIONS and ANSWERS For Youth to Learn THAT They may better understand THE CHVRCH CATECHISM WITH THE CATECHISTS Enlargements upon them Ps 34.11 Come ye Children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. By Jos Briggs M. A. and Vic. of Kirkburton in the County of York CAMBRIDGE Printed by Joh. Hayes Printer to the University for Edw. Hall Bookseller there And are to be sold by Luke Meridith at the Star in St. Pauls Church-Yard London 1696. Imprimatur Thomas Browne Procan Jo. Beaumont Hen. James The Epistle DEDICATORY TO THE Most Reverend Father in God JOHN By Divine Providence Lord Arch-Bishop of YORK PRIMATE of ENGLAND AND METROPOLITAN May it please your Grace IT was a Mighty Veneration the first and better Ages had for their Governours The Guides of their Souls agreeably to the Rules of Christianity and even to the common sense of Mankind And that quite contrary now-a-dayes the Holy Orders are vilely esteemed by Abundance of Men and those sometimes pretending a High Zeal for Religion is to be imputed very much to their bad Education in their tender years and perhaps to no one thing more But it is not against this Evil alone that a good Education of our Youth would provide an effectual Remedy but in my opinion against a Multitude of Epidemical Errors and Immoralities It is certain True Religion thrives best when planted betimes having its Foundation in an early Piety Happy are those Children whose Lot is to be begotten of Godly Parents careful to season their Minds with vertuous and sober Principles and while they are Children to acquaint them with the Scriptures of Truth and Godliness None start with greater Advantages in the Christian Race nor usually persevere with a more vigorous Constancy therein then they who are taught to remember their Creator in the Days of their Youth the first Fruits of their Time being Consecrated to God and Religion before corrupt affections have clapt a Bias upon their Inclinations and a Train of Vices hath depraved and in great measure laid a sleep the Natural Notions of Good and Evil in them To this great purpose Catechizing and Diligence in teaching the Catechism is continually and very appositely urged upon Us of the Parochial Clergy by our Ordinaries in their Annual Visitations according to the Royal Injunctions And loth I am to say or even to think any of my Brethren so culpable as either to be so ignorant as to need my Instructions or so negligent as to want my Excitements in so necessary and as is Universally acknowledged so profitable an Office of their Ministration It is for the common People's sake therefore that I expose these Specimens of my Labours in this kind to a publick View I think it a great Blessing to them that they may have the Advantage of being taught by both their senses their Eyes as well as their Ears What is taught by the Ear may affect and pierce more but the Letter written endureth longer and the Souls of men have the Advantage of a more deliberate Consideration and a longer continuance therein Having therefore a Desire to do good both ways according to my poor Abilities not so much fearing Censures as endeavouring to Edifie I submissively offer these my Labours to your Graces Patronage as justly yours being performed in your Charge by one under your Fatherly Jurisdiction who unfeignedly prayeth for the Peace and Prosperity of Gods Holy Catholick Church and the continual dew of his Heavenly Blessing upon the Bishops and Clergy thereof and particularly a double Portion of his Spirit upon your Grace that we may be long happy in your Wise and Active Conduct and one who earnestly begging your Graces Prayers for him heartily desires to approve himself upon all Occasions Your Graces in all humble Duty and Observance Jos Briggs THE PREFACE To Every CHRISTIAN READER Particularly to my Brethren the Younger of the Reverend CLERGY OF THE Church of England c. Reverend Brethren WHAT Place and Figure the Catetechist had in the Primitive Churches is well known and the Diligent Discharge of this part of our Ministry being most strictly required by the Canons of that Holy Church whereunto by all manner of right we ow the most sincere Obedience which being also so frequently urged upon our practice by our Ordinaries at every Visitation and there being perhaps nothing we do or can do that can be more beneficial to our Flocks Nothing which if rightly performed can more conduce to a thorough Reformation of Christians or to the comfort and Satisfaction of the Pastors Consciences It seems strange to me That it is so much neglected at least most cursorily and insipidly performed in many Parishes especially in Market Towns where nothing pleaseth but the Minister's sett and solemn Discourses on some particular Texts in Scripture commonly called Preaching as if there were no other preaching but this God forbid I should pass the least undecent Reflection upon those but this I am bold to say Whatever good Man will take the pains as every one ought to examine his Children and Servants of what they have learnt by them and to assist them to his utmost power to profit thereby He will soon find it a very slender Account they are able to give of an hours Discourse and must from a constant Experience hereof conclude an absolute Necessity of both Ministers and Masters of Families greatest Diligence in this easie and Familiar way of instructing them in matters of Religion and that it is very little good which Sermonizing without Catechizing can do and therefore hath not the least appearance of justice for thrusting it out of the Church That we ought to Catechize I hope I need not say much to convince any thinking Man the stress lies in finding out such a course as wherein it may be done to purpose that if it be possible We may save ourselves and them that hear us even the most ignorant of them that are willing to learn And I would gladly be confident of your charitable construction of this my publishing my own Method so as by no means to interpret it a self-conceited or presumptuous prescribing it to others Give me leave only to shew you how I fell into it and then be it at your own Discretion how far you will accept or reject it imitate alter or wholly decline it I account it to my self a great Blessing that being by a sickly Constitution of Body forced from the Breasts of my Mother that Famous School of the Prophets the Vniversity of Cambridge a very good Providence cast me under the Wings and Guidance of an aged Divine Grave Learned and pious a truly Loyal Subject to and sufferer for his Sovereign a most Orthodox Son of the Church From him I had this Advice in my studies and it would be Envy to others Good to conceal it to fix my Theological Studies in the first place upon the Creed The Lords Prayer and